There is a very important hearing this week and we need cities to weigh in. Thursday, Jan. 30 at 10am the House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee will be hearing three bills related to cities.

HB 2144: Provides revenue to cities and counties from the marijuana retail excise tax. Gives a local jurisdiction 30% of last 25% retail excise tax or about 10% of total excise tax. – AWC Supports

Local government doesn’t currently receive any of the new marijuana excise tax revenue.

We are asking the State to share a portion of this new revenue source with cities and counties. The State hasn’t yet budgeted any of this revenue, so it has no impact on the State’s general fund to provide funding to cities.

Cities will have impacts related to this new industry and will need revenue to help address those impacts. We need the legislature to secure funding this year. We cannot wait to respond to the impacts until the 2015 legislative session.

The federal government has mandated a highly regulated and strictly enforced marijuana retail system, this responsibility will fall to local law enforcement because the state lacks the necessary enforcement resources. But, cities lack the resources to dedicate towards this role.

The state must partner with cities if this new system is to work. We ask that you consider providing locals with a larger share of the funding than even proposed in HB 2144.

Please recognize the need to provide funding to cities and pass this bill out of committee.

Locally elected city council members understand their communities and answer directly to their residents. They must be trusted to do the right thing for their community.

About 10 cities have adopted permanent zoning regulations and another 20 have adopted interim zoning regulations. Over 40 cities have adopted temporary, short-term moratoria as they take time to review their local options and find an approach that best fits their community.

These bills are broad and overreaching. The bills would preempt marijuana businesses from the most basic local health and safety regulations as well as basic regulations like local sign codes.

The result of adopting either of these approaches would be greater confusion, complete lack of basic regulation and more litigation.

Do not further restrict cities’ authority, please do not advance either of these bills.

Contact the members of the House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee about these bills.